The chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, said on Tuesday that the security scene along the country’s northern borders was in “an uncomfortable state, no war, no peace” and that the Indian army was prepared for any eventuality, amid the military tensions with China the sensitive sector of Ladakh where both armies have arranged for a long haul.
Speaking at a conference on ‘Energizing the Indian Aerospace Industry: Challenges in the New Environment’, the IAF chief said: “Air power will be a crucial enabler for our victory in any future conflict. It is really critical to any future conflict. It is imperative that the IAF obtain and maintain a technological advantage over our adversaries. ”
He said the air force had responded quickly to events in eastern Ladakh and was prepared to counter any adversary misfortune. The conference was organized by the Center for Aerial Energy Studies in conjunction with the Defense Manufacturers Society of India (SIDM) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Key military talks on September 21 on the India-China Royal Line of Control (LAC) dispute remained inconclusive, with Indian negotiators strongly demanding a complete disengagement at all hotspots and restoration of the status quo. before as the only approach towards reducing escalation. and China calling on India to withdraw its soldiers from strategic locations on the southern shore of Pangong Tso to reduce friction.
The two sides, however, made some progress.
According to a joint statement issued on September 22 in New Delhi and Beijing, they agreed to stop sending more troops to the front line and hold a seventh round of commander-level talks “as soon as possible, take practical steps to adequately resolve issues in the land, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border area ”.
The IAF is operating its newly incorporated Rafale fighter jets in the Ladakh theater, where the military is on its highest alert.
Bhadauria said that the recent addition of several platforms, including the Rafales, C-17s, Chinooks and Apaches, had provided the IAF with “a substantial improvement in strategic and tactical capabilities.”
The IAF’s current fleet of five Rafale fighters is fully operational and ready to take on any mission. India ordered 36 Rafale jets from France in a deal worth Rs 59,000 crore in September 2016.
The air force formally installed the planes at Ambala air base on September 10, although they landed at their base of operations on July 29. At the induction, Bhadauria made it clear that the warplanes were ready for mission and the ceremony marked his “full operational induction” into the air force.
The Rafale jets are part of the IAF’s No. 17 Squadron, which is also known as the “Golden Arrows.”
“The IAF is always mission-ready and can find the location of its choice whenever it wants, anytime, anywhere,” said military affairs expert Air Marshal PS Ahluwalia (retd).
The IAF has projected its ability to carry out all-weather day and night combat missions in the Ladakh sector, with front-line fighter jets, attack helicopters and multi-mission helicopters taking off for demanding night missions from the future. . air bases.
The IAF chief said that the lifting of two squadrons of Texas light combat aircraft and the integration of indigenous weapons into the Su-30 in a shortened time frame were the most promising developments on the indigenization front and the march towards self-reliance in the defense sector. .
Speaking of giving momentum to the Make in India initiative, he said that the new Defense Acquisition Procedure-2020, released on Monday, addressed a number of issues “with bold and far-reaching reforms.”
He said that to provide a boost to the aerospace industry, the IAF had pledged to purchase 83 LCA Mk1 fighter jets and 106 HTT-40 trainer jets. “We strongly support indigenous development of the fifth generation fighter jet — the Advanced Multipurpose Combat Aircraft (AMCA) — and we have a demand of at least six squadrons, and the replacement of Avro is planned under Make in India. This in itself equates to more than 350 aircraft in the next two decades. There cannot be a better time for indigenization, ”he said.
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